Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-08-27

alternative. This man now whirled about
in the bleak wind, with scarcely clothes
enough to keep his blood from freezing,
was driven to the necessity of making a
sacrifice which would leave him still /
thinner clad. He had laughed in the
teeth of the wind-the mirth of q maniac
AS if it were great Joke. He had once
nourished ambitions dreams of greatness.
But Homer was beggar, and Cervantes
died of hunger after he had achieved
greatness.
This man had once composed a poem on
snow. Did he get the proper idea or con-
ception of the bitterness Of frost when he saw
it from warm parlor, with eyes of youth
fired by love and hope? All, he thought
not He had dreamy kind of feeling
that when he got back into that warm room,
where youth, and love, and hope still idled,
he would re-write that poem on snow. He
could tell more about it then, and when
the Printers club gave up their strike.
and his late employers resumed work and
took him back with them, he would pass
in that poem, covered with SHOWS and de.
spair, hung with glittering icicles and
hunger, chilled with feathery frosts and
poverty, and he felt sure it would be re-
ceived with delight.
BY this time he had got quite out of his
home walks, and passing under a lamp on
the corner Of an unirequented street, he
quickly Invested himself of his great
warm coat as he entered the door of the
broker
"Oh it will keep them warm, warm"
he kept muttering; " Elsie and the chill
dren." He passed the coal-yard and or
dered some coal sent to his number early
on the morrow, and then out in the street
and on through the piercing wind he
struggled. His loss in the comfort of the
overcoat was not regretted When nearly
home the temptation irresistibly seized
him TO enter gay, warm saloon.
She'll never know, she'll never know"
he muttered, "and Pm so cold, Pm sure
she would forgive if she knew all" So he
crept in, a haggard being whom no one
saw-even the most depravad and sodden
wretch-but pitied. He Strengthened up
after awhile when he had stood by the
glowing stove, and warmed up over a
friendly discussion about labor and capital,
aad which would direct the ruling policies.
Then some one profiered him a glass of
rum. Would he take it? As cold as he
was he felt that he could empty the biggest
glass in the saloon He raised it with 4
smile in his brilliant eyes (unnaturally
bright they were) and his cold lips
smacked in anticipation of taste of the
rich, warm beverage. Then he remem-
bered Elsie
He had promised her in the days of
their honeymoon that liquor should never
pass his lips. He had been given to wine
drinking, and a wine-drinking partner in
business had been his ruin. She had ex-
acted the promise from him after he had
gone from publisher to compositor. And
now it was from compoSitOr to beggar, and
he dared not break the promise made her.
Anybody but Elsie. So he set the glass
down and wiped his mouth with trem-
bling hand. This was different from part
ing with the overcoat. That was ne
| cessity; this was sacrifice for dear loves
sake. But how many he had already
made.
AS he turned to leave the place some
one said as he had handed him paper:
Here, Swaine, tell us what you think
of that" pointing out an article upon the
mornings progress Of the clubs move
ment. He stopped to glance over the
paper. His interest was blunted by long
| waiting for them to take the right move
ment, and so his eyes wandered on and
the men about him talked Suddenly he
caught the meaning of an article which
had no bearing upon the agitation, and
yet it startled him into instant hope. 1t
was an advertisement from the editor of
the Summer Magazine, and the Summer
Magazine had once been owned and
edited by himself. This fortunate new
editor wished to get up a grand midsum-
mer copy, and so he advertised a great
prize to induce lazy contributors to exert
themselves in writing a certain kind of
article. The competition was open to
all. 1t would be closed in a fortnight's
time. Elsie's husband at once resolved
to enter the list of aspiring authors, for
the prize-money was more than he had
owned or earned since he had married
her. This was the chance he felt sure;
his wife had her writing materials at
hand and plenty of paper. He would go
home at once and begin.
Elsie" he said, giving her the five dol
lars which his overcoat had brought,
take this and make it go is far as it will
1t is every cent We have between us and
the street." he ended, smiling. He could
smile now more naturally.
He had living coal within his breast,
heart awakened, hope revived.
She placed the note carelessly i'll her
drawer. She had never felt such cold as
that forthcoming poem was to describe,
and she had not missed his overcoat. He
was somewhat disappointed that she
seemed unconscious of his many brave
thoughts of her She probably would
have reminded him had she known his in
most heart, that his deeds were few and
his thoughts did not move her. She felt
that she did her duty and much more than
she ever supposed she would do, for she
cared for the children and paid the rent.
When she had retired and tossed her
uneasy head to sleep he sat down to begin
his heart-wrung effort. Never in his DAYS
Of busy editorship had his pen done such
rapid work, and his thoughts few faster
still. Scarcely daring to breathe he wrote
all the chilly night through and all the
next day.
"You are either genius or a FOOL
Elsie remarked when she heard his plan.
There's very little difference between
them. Success is the genius, failure the
lOOi, lie ldupneu.
Nevertheless he kept on. 1t took him a
hard weeks work, night and day, with
only an intermission of a couple of hours
for walk in'which to procure his single
dry roll day and a few hours of DEATH
like slumber at night When it was fin
ished he felt as if he had lived a thou
sand years, and when he said so to Elsie
she remarked that he did not look unlike
he had.
Then came the weary waiting. He was
hopeful; she was incredulous. He went
out as usual to find work and to take his
meager food alone, but the disappointment
each day failed to hurt him as before
At length he obtained work with coal
handler and received something like so
cents per day. But that was only tempo
rary, owing to the strike of the former la
borers Then he fell into the hands of
3 greedy manufacturer and went out TO
sell patent fire-lighters on commission.
AT the end of a month however, he
was with Elsie again. Bnt now he was
hopeful of his success in the literary
venture. The more he thought of it
the more certain he became at is easy
to believe what the heart desires" He
grew 50 sure of winning the prize that he
took more courage and Strengthened his
bent, prematurely-aged form. He did not